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HELP

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and the Council of Europe Launch Three Tutored Human Rights Courses

On 20 October 2026, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv held an online launch of three tutored courses under the Council of Europe HELP Programme (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals).

The courses are organised as part of the Council of Europe project “HELP for Ukraine, including during wartime”, Phase II, in cooperation with the University’s EuroIntegration Centre .

Participants are offered three courses addressing topical human rights issues:

  • Business and Human Rights – international and European standards of responsible business conduct and corporate responsibility.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights – legal and ethical challenges associated with artificial intelligence, privacy protection and non-discrimination.
  • Environment and Human Rights – environmental rights, international environmental protection standards and environmental challenges, including those arising during wartime.

The event was opened by Vadym Popko, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (International Cooperation) at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Doctor of Legal Sciences and Professor. In his welcoming remarks, he emphasised the importance of cooperation with the Council of Europe, integrating European human rights standards into education and preparing professionals able to apply them in practice. A key milestone in this partnership was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the University and the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine on 29 August 2023.

Valentina Falco, the new Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, who began her mission in September 2026, also delivered welcoming remarks. Symbolically, the launch of the HELP courses at the University was her first public event in Ukraine in her new role. She underlined the importance of human rights education and continued the Council of Europe’s support for Ukraine.

Halyna Smirnova, Senior Project Officer of the Council of Europe HELP project, presented the educational opportunities offered by the platform and the implementation of the Programme in Ukraine.

The content and structure of the courses, learning arrangements, and tutoring approach were presented by Alla Fedorova, PhD in Law, Associate Professor at the Chair of Comparative and European Law, Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and member of the European Committee of Social Rights; and Olena Sviatun, PhD in Law, Associate Professor at the same Chair.

The tutoring team also includes Olena Shompol, PhD in Law, Associate Professor at the Chair of Environmental Law, Educational and Scientific Institute of Law, who will tutor the Environment and Human Rights course.

Expert presentations were another important part of the event. Vitalii Urkevych, Judge of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, Doctor of Legal Sciences and Professor, spoke about the implementation of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights in the national legal system. Oleksandr Melnyk, a lawyer at the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights, addressed the admissibility criteria for individual applications to the Court.

The launch of the HELP courses marks another step in the development of cooperation between the University and the Council of Europe and a tangible outcome of the work of the University’s EuroIntegration Centre. The initiative will help students and academic staff deepen their knowledge, strengthen their professional competencies, and promote European human rights standards in Ukraine.